Club History

DISCOVER

Welcome to Jimmie Austin Golf Club

The rich heritage of the grounds of the Jimmie Austin Golf Club at The University of Oklahoma dates back to the early 1940’s, when the land was home to a U.S. Navy recreational facility.

Situated on what was once called the Navy Air Technical Training Center, NATTC or more simply “South Base”, the facility served as an annex to the Norman Naval Air Station located north of town at what is now Max Westheimer Airport. In 1949, in coordination with the Navy and with the leadership of OU President George Lynn Cross, construction began on the OU Golf Course. At that time, famous golf course architect and native Oklahoman Perry Maxwell was commissioned to build the project, and in January 1951 the course opened for play.

In 1996, thanks to the generous contributions from OU supporters, especially that of namesake Jimmie Austin, an extensive renovation of the course was completed. World-renowned course architect Robert Cupp was chosen for the redesign, which remained true to features envisioned by Maxwell some 50 years earlier. Today, the Jimmie Austin OU Golf Club continues to reflect the level of excellence for which The University of Oklahoma is well known. Working with Tripp Davis, golf course architect and member of the 1989 OU Men’s National Championship Golf Team, the club completed major renovations to the course, infrastructure and facilities in 2017.

In recognition of this excellence, the course has played host to the 1997 Oklahoma State Amateur and NCAA Regional, the Big 12 Women’s Championship in 1998 and 2010, and most notably the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship in 2009. The course hosted the 2013 U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship and NCAA Regional Championships in 2012, 2018, 2022 (men’s) and 2013, 2019 (women’s) and is already scheduled to host more NCAA Regional Championships in 2023, and 2025.

Prepare yourself for an unparalleled golfing experience. Our Norman golf course will challenge you while providing a relaxing, picturesque backdrop.

JIMMIE AUSTIN GOLF CLUB
AT THE UNIVERSITY
OF OKLAHOMA

The Jimmie Austin family has a long love of and association with golf and The University of Oklahoma. Jimmie was an oil and gas drilling contractor and independent producer from Seminole, Okla. At the urging of his sons, Paul and Jimmie, he learned to play golf in his late forty’s. He loved the game but he also loved the many friendships he made from playing golf. Both of his sons, who attended the university, have been devoted golfers since high school. His three grandsons and one granddaughter (John, Mark, Guy, and Christy) have been golfers since they could swing a club.

Jimmie and his wife Marie loved the university and we’re very proud to provide the lead gift for the University Golf Course renovation in 1996. Son Paul D. Austin was an OU Regent from 2000 to 2007, serving as chairman at the end of his tenure. He was also a founding member and longtime president of the OU Men’s Golf Chip In Club. Son Jimmie Lynn Austin has been a member and chairman of the Golf Coordinating Committee for the Jimmie Austin Golf Club for more than 20 years.

Jimmie was excited when it was announced that the 2009 U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship would be held at the Jimmie Austin Golf Club. Unfortunately, he passed away in 2007 at the age of 90, two years prior to hosting the event. Paul and Jimmie Lynn honored their parents by providing a matching gift through the Jimmie and Marie Austin Foundation to support the USGA’s 2009 U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship.

Our LOGO, designed and developed to bring awareness to the great native Bur Oak Trees located throughout the course but specifically the great ones located along Bishop Creek on the south part of our property. One such tree was first listed & recorded with the Oklahoma State Forestry in 1991 as THE Champion Bur Oak for the state. In The Great Trees of Oklahoma, 2000 edition, it is measured with a circumference of 226 inches (nearly 19 feet), 79 feet tall, and a crown spread of 125 feet – it is a great tree. This tree is located on the right side of the 7th fairway approximately 75 yards short of the green. We can only imagine what the size is now 17 years later. While there is no way to know exactly the age of the tree, Kevin Keys with the Forestry Service said Bur Oaks can live to be 500 years old but would only commit to saying that this tree was certainly a very sizable tree when the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776.